Chapter 1 - Wooden Town

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Things aren't always as they seem, but is that always negative?

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Having just come to in a new place, assessing the surroundings seemed to be a wise decision. Glancing around, it seemed the orphan, named Li, was in a bedroom, with walls of stone.

The surrounding walls had a metallic sheen, indicating rich mineral content. A stone bed was in a corner, next to a stone bookshelf. In fact, besides himself, nothing in the cave was made of anything other than stone. Looking behind, a connected stone bathroom stood.

Wandering in, Li noticed a stone toilet and a stone sink. Both actually had running water, which was amazing! He had heard that only the best of the best houses got running water, and he was now one of them! There was also a shiny stone mirror above the sink, extremely reflective, showing Li what he looked like now.

He actually looked the same as before he arrived here. A young boy, medium stature, black hair and eyes. Not quite mature, but not appearing too young. He looked very… commonplace. He would be very difficult to spot in large crowds.

Having checked himself out long enough, what Li noticed was that despite no light source being visible, the room was uniformly lit.

“Strange.”

Deciding to ignore this, Li thought to himself. “Finally, my own room! Does this mean no more scurrying around, finding a new residence every day?” Clearly, he had his priorities straightened out.

Continuing, he suddenly said aloud, “A new life! A new room! The same me! From now on, I’m destined to live a comfortable life. “

Satisfied with his new existence, Li decided to venture out. Opening the door (which was also made of stone), he walked outside to find himself outside of a… wooden house? But the inside was surely stone! Double checking, Li hurriedly went back in where, sure enough, was the same stone room. Finding the entire situation bizarre, but reminding himself of the existence of magic, Li went outside to explore, finding himself on a narrow street in a small town.

Out of his post-death stupor, he noticed that the air seemed… fresh, in an unusual way. It felt as though, by breathing in repeatedly, he could cleanse his body, mind, and soul. The air around his previous life never had this quality, though he did hear legends of the opposite, a heavy air that could sap away vitality and lifespan, while clouding the mind.

While processing this, Li wandered around the nighttime town. Curiously, there was nobody else on the streets at this hour. After walking for a while, a shadow shot across the street, dragging Li into a nearby house, without time to struggle.

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“Shhh! Why are you still out at this hour? Are you a newcomer? Seeing as you aren’t dressed in black, you must be a newcomer.”

“I was suddenly transported here after a river flooded my town. ” Li decided to seek guidance from this figure, who could obviously have easily robbed and silenced him (though Li didn’t have anything valuable on him, of course). “Who are you? Where are we right now?”

“You can call me Han. We’re in the domain of a great cultivator, at least of Tribulation Crossing. There are many potential entrances, but no found exits. Everyone who has entered has died. “

This “Han” figure subsequently explained the situation. They were currently in a town with a set of bizarre phenomena, and without knowledge, you were certain to die to them.

During their conversation, Li also learned that instead of magic, cultivation existed. Han was extremely bewildered by Li's lack of common knowledge.

Cultivation involved absorbing the atmospheric qi, strengthening the body, and comprehending the heavens and earth to become more powerful and live longer. Different cultivators pursued different paths, such as combat, weapon forging, and even agriculture and drug making! Li found this all fascinating, deciding that he wanted to become a cultivator. First, though, he had to learn about the town.

“There are three key points you will need to know. Remember this, as it will save your life. Firstly, try your best not to go out at night. One out of two nights, the town guard will execute all those who decide for a midnight stroll.”

“Second, wear black clothes when outside at all times. If you don’t, demon birds will grab you and you will almost certainly die.”

After saying this, Han tossed three sets of black clothes to Li, as well as a bag. Li graciously accepted the clothes, putting them in the bag and hooking the bag over his shoulder.

“Finally, there will be a schedule posted on all occupied houses each morning. Wake up before sunrise and check the schedule, or you may be suddenly beheaded. Events such as meals and classes are included, and are mandatory.”

“Wow, this town even has classes? What are they on?” Li was surprised to learn that this supposedly deadly town had an educational system. Who would have thought?

“Standard botany, basic mathematics, history, there are a lot of classes. Also, seeing as you’re interested, and lacking knowledge in cultivation, you can take some cultivation classes and learn to cultivate. Though, in this town, even learning is dangerous. Don’t worry, you’ll discover everything tomorrow. On that note, stay the night here. You don’t want to risk going out at night.”

Deciding to unwaveringly trust Han, and finding this trust to be odd, Li followed Han to a guest room. Instead of stone, like Li’s new residence, this room was made entirely of wood! Wood bed (though there was a non-wood mattress), wood bookshelf, wood walls, wood… chandelier? Rubbing his eyes, Li noticed that this room was as luxurious as a first-rate home in his previous town. Having had this question for a while now, Li turned to ask Han.

“Why is this town so bad? There’s food and top-notch housing! What more could you need? There’s even a school! So many people in my hometown would sacrifice their families to get a place like this. “

“While there are the essentials to live, most people are cultivators. Cultivators are used to freedom, and need resources to progress further. In this place, resources are limited, though it is safe as there is nobody to compete with. Everyone else has tried to escape and likely failed, leaving just me, all alone. I’ll likely spend the rest of my life here, and I’m at peace with the idea. After all, what’s the point of longevity if you’re unable to use it?”

Leaving these pessimistic words, Han left for his room, leaving Li alone with his thoughts.

“Was that flood actually that bad? I got a house, get to go to school, and don’t have to worry about food! Furthermore, what about this cultivation? I’ve only heard of this in novels! Fighting demons, flying through the sky, casting spells… It’s the same as magic. Unbelievable! And I get to learn it!”

With a seemingly bright future, Li drifted off to sleep.